If Thomas Jefferson were alive today and living in the Hudson Valley, he'd be on the forefront of the farm-to-table movement. He'd be gratified by the emphasis these days on eating locally-produced foods and strengthening our regional farms because he wanted America to be a self-sustaining republic capable of producing its own products on its own land. He wouldn't be so happy to learn many farmers here don't own their own land and are scraping out a living only through a combination of creativity and perseverance.